Wedding Advice from Newlyweds

Real couples share tips, tricks and what they wish they'd known before their own weddings.

Danielle and Chris Rosser

Wed May 1, 2016, at The Lakes Golf and Country Club.

Is there anything you would have done differently?

Danielle: In order to save money for our wedding, we got married on a Sunday afternoon … in hindsight we think it would have been better to get married on a Saturday evening. Many guests were from out of town and left our reception early in order to be home for work Monday morning.

Did you experience any wedding-day snafus, and how did you handle them?

Chris: Our groomsmen had their suits tailored to fit for our wedding. … At 2 a.m. the day of the wedding, one of the groomsmen decided to try his on for the first time, only to discover that the pants were sized to fit a 10-year-old child. … He ended up spending his morning at Kohl's buying five different pairs of pants to find ones that matched his jacket best. No one could tell his pants were different, and the wedding was saved.

Any tux shopping advice?

C: Buy your suits. Ours were the same amount as renting would have been, and they got to keep them. Also, TRY ON THE SUITS!

What about the dress?

D: Keep in mind when dress shopping that you need to consider alterations in your budget for your dress. My alterations were considerably more than I expected them to be (and my alterations were necessary).

Halle and Chris Kost

Wed on Aug. 5, 2016, at Strongwater Food & Spirits.

What are you happy you spent money on?

Halle: Video of wedding ... we've heard so many say they wished they had video of their wedding, so we made sure we did.

Is there anything you would have done differently?

Chris: Fans. An August outside wedding must have fans, no matter how “cool” the forecast says it should be.

What do you wish you'd known before you started planning?

H: To assign someone to write out checks at the end of the night for vendors if they haven't been paid and to make the decision on tips.

Do you have any general advice for couples?

H: Make time to chill and have a beer with your fiancé right before the ceremony, just you two at the bar. That's what we did, and it was a moment all ours. The best!

Ashley and Kevin Stephan

Wed on May 29, 2016, at the Columbus Museum of Art.

Any dress shopping advice?

Ashley: I recommend taking only a few close people with you and making it a more intimate experience. While you want some feedback, having too many people involved can become overwhelming and can take away from exactly what you want.

What about tuxes?

Kevin: Tuxes are easy. The only advice would be to confirm that your groomsmen pick up and drop off on time.

Did you experience any wedding-day snafus, and how did you handle them?

A: The bustle on the wedding dress would not stay together, which resulted in Kevin having to adjust his dance moves and step around it during our first dance. To all future brides, I recommend having a few bridesmaids practice bustling your dress and be available for any adjustments.

Do you have any general advice for couples currently planning their weddings?

A: Pick and choose the areas of planning your wedding that you really enjoy. Focus on those, and don't be afraid to ask for help on the additional items that you don't enjoy as much. Don't stress. It's easier said than done, but all the planning and the wedding itself goes by so fast. Enjoy every moment.

Wendy and Jared Kealy

Wed on June 11, 2016, at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

Is there anything you would have done differently?

Wendy: In hindsight, I would have slowed down and enjoyed the process of planning the wedding. Everything is new and exciting, and it can almost be a race to mark everything off of your to-do list.

What are you happy you spent money on?

W: Having a high-quality photographer was probably the best use of our budget. Our photographer was organized, helped nail down the wedding timeline and kept the whole event progressing at the right pace.

What do you think you could have done without?

W: We paid extra for additional lighting around the dance floor, but ultimately by the time everyone was dancing, no one was paying attention to how the lighting worked.

Do you have any general advice for couples?

W: Do some research on venues, florists and catering ahead of time, before creating a budget. Once you have a general idea of what to expect for prices, it will give you a more realistic approach to your budget and where you want to allocate your money. … Most importantly, be flexible. It's great to have images of what your ideal wedding is, but if you're willing to adjust when unexpected situations arise, you'll have a lot less stress and a better overall wedding experience.

Katharine and Tony Irwin

Wed July 16, 2016, at dock580.

Is there anything you would have done differently?

Katharine: I wish we would've made more time to mingle with our guests during dinner. It's such a busy day, and it's incredibly difficult to see and talk with all your guests.

What are you happy you spent money on?

Tony: A band. I was definitely in favor of getting a DJ to save money, but I'm glad Katharine was adamant we had a band. The Sly Band was more than we imagined; entertaining, interactive and tons of fun.

K: The band was phenomenal, and I always love hearing how much all of our guests enjoyed this aspect of our wedding.

What do you think you could have done without?

K: Streamers. Guests were supposed to wave them after we were announced husband and wife. While they seemed like a great idea at the time, they were a last-minute decision and didn't really get used.

T: If you know of anyone that needs 200 streamers, let us know.

Do you have any general advice for couples?

K: Start the planning process early, work together and find a way to stay organized. … Make sure you're planning the wedding you BOTH want, so you can equally enjoy the day when it arrives.

T: As soon as you get engaged, start planning—especially if you want to have a summer wedding. Venues and vendors book up to 18 months out, so get out and secure your space and vendors as quickly as possible.